


Share Your Strength

by Rose_of_Pollux



Category: The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (TV)
Genre: Episode Related, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-16
Updated: 2018-04-16
Packaged: 2019-04-23 21:22:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14341167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rose_of_Pollux/pseuds/Rose_of_Pollux
Summary: Takes place during "The Shark Affair."  In which, after Napoleon is whipped by Captain Shark, Illya, the so-called Ice Prince, looks after him.





	Share Your Strength

When Illya had been released from Captain Shark's brig, the first thing he did was try to find Napoleon. All he could think about was how he had tried and failed to stop Shark from whipping his partner-and he knew that, once he had been taken away, there would have been no stopping it.

_Napoleon, forgive me, I have failed you…_

He had found Napoleon in the room that Shark had assigned them, lying facedown on his bunk, recovering. The whiplash marks, looking vivid and painful, burned bright red on Napoleon's back, glistening slightly from whatever ointment that had been administered to him. And yet, Napoleon was clearly in discomfort.

"Napoleon…?"

His partner looked up at the sound of his voice, managing a smile.

"Hey, how are you?"

"I am fine," Illya said, his blue eyes looking slightly wet as he continued to look at the marks on Napoleon's back. "They only left me temporarily winded and locked up after my ordeal. But you…"

"It looks a lot worse than it is, I'm sure," Napoleon said.

"Don't try to sweep it under the rug," Illya said, as he sat beside Napoleon. "…Oh, Napoleon. Shark knows his way around that whip. I shall do my best for you, but I fear…. I fear there will be permanent scarring."

Napoleon's expression was unreadable, but Illya knew what was going through his mind-the realization that the perfectly-toned upper body he was so proud of was now forever marred.

"…I had a feeling," he said, after a while. "Well… I'm sure there's something or other that can cover it up in some way…"

"First, let me clean your wounds to minimize the scarring," Illya said, and he proceeded to do just that with a wet cloth and some disinfectant.

The disinfectant stung, but aside from an involuntary recoil, Napoleon remained quiet and calm as Illya treated him.

"…How bad do you think it will be?" Napoleon asked, after a while.

"That depends on how the skin will heal," Illya said. "As much as I want to tell you there will be no scarring, I cannot lie to you. There will be scarring regardless, but how badly it will be will be determined by how it heals." He sighed. "I am sorry, Napoleon."

"It had to happen sooner or later," Napoleon sighed. "I guess I should be grateful it's not my face."

" _Nyet_ … I mean, I am sorry for not being able to stop it."

"Well, it wasn't for the lack of trying," Napoleon reminded him. "I'm grateful for you trying to stop it. Really."

Illya wanted to say something-to say that it wasn't enough to have tired, that he had utterly failed in protecting him…

Napoleon continued talking, as though tuned in to Illya's thoughts.

"You know, I wouldn't be here talking to you if it wasn't for you," he said. "You've saved my life multiple times. And you always try to help me when you can. I don't think I tell you enough how much I appreciate it-appreciate you."

"…Even when I fail you?" Illya finally managed, the bitterness evident in his voice.

"You didn't fail me," Napoleon insisted. "You wouldn't be here looking after me if you had."

"There must have been something else I could have done--"

"You would have ended up getting whipped along with me, Illya. How would that have been any better?" Napoleon asked. "I mean, do you think that you'd be… sharing the burden or something?" There was an awkward pause. "…You actually do think that!"

"I know it is foolish to think so," Illya said, going slightly red as he continued to clean Napoleon's wounds and now bandaged them. "Such irrationality is not like me, and yet I cannot help but think it…!"

Napoleon managed a smile.

"You're fine, Illya. It's called having a heart. Sometimes, I think you actually believe that you are the 'Ice Prince,' despite that it's just a front, and these feelings end up surprising you, too."

Illya couldn't find a reply to this, and he changed the subject as he finished bandaging Napoleon's back.

"Be that as it may, I wish there was more I could do for you."

Napoleon now propped himself up on his arm to look back at Illya.

"You're here," he said. "That's all I could ask for."

And, at last, Illya managed a smile back.

"And by your side is where I will stay," he promised.

"Great," Napoleon grinned, reaching for his evening suit. "Then let's head down to Shark's party and find a way to stop him."

Illya nodded in agreement. They would succeed--together.


End file.
